Improvement in ditching-machines



J. W. HUMPHREYS. D'ITCHIN-G-MAcH-INE. No. 187,466. l rammed Feb. zo, 187.1.

lnvenlto'r a VVi-tneses z JAMES w.' HUMPHREYS, 0F LA FAYETTE, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN DITCHING-MACHINES.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 187,466, dated February 20, 1877; application filed August 16, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. HUMPH- REYS, of La Fayette, in the county of Tippecanoe and State of Indiana, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Ditching-Machines 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to machines for ditching and excavating; and consists in certain improvements in the construction of the same, as hereinafter more fully shown and described. f

In the drawing referred to as forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved ditching-machine. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view of the rear end of same. v

In the various figures of said drawing like letters designate like parts. 4

A designates the beam, supported in the usual position of plow-beams by theusupports or frame B, the latter resting upon and having fastened thereto the base or sole, indicated by C. 'Ihe said sole 0 is provided with a metallic covering' for its protection when moving along against the soil.

Two excavating blades or shares, D, are attached to the frame, one on each side thereof, and are constructed to converge and form a point, a, in front, directly under the beam A, the said blades extending gradually apart and widening from the point a to their rear extremities, as shown in Eig. l. The said blades are made concave in form, so that their cutting-edges d extend outwardly, the blades gradually inclining upward from the point a to their rear extremities, as shown in Fig. 2. The concave form of the blades D-causes the excavated earth to turn over away from the ditcher as the machine passes along, thus giving it a more free passage.

The ditcher, formed of the blades D, is firm- 1y secured to the sole C at the forward end thereof, the rear ends of the blades being secured to the cross-piece F, fitted to the beam A, as shown.

Each of the blades D has coupled thereto, at its rear end, an adjustable wing, H, the same being also somewhat concave in shape, and serving' as an extension to the blade for conducting the excavated earth. The said two wings are supported and made adjustable in the manner following: The beam A, extending back a suitable distance, has rigidly fastened to its rear end a slotted plate, c, which'is fixed in an upright position. To the said' plate a cross-piece,'G, is coupled by means of bolts and nuts, the said bolts passing through the slots c in ,the plate c, so that the cross-piece G may be raised or depressed, as desired. The rods g form adjustable connections between the wings Hand the crosspiece Gr, the inward extremities of said rods being looped, as shown, and adjustably secured to said cross-piece by means of bolts and nuts.

Thus, by coupling the cross-piece G to the plate c in a higher or lower position, and adjusting the rods g, the wings H are regulated in position.

is to cut. It consists of a piece or pieces of board, L, provided with an opening, m, through which the draft-rope passes to hold itin position 5 and is secured by a swivel-connection,

n, to the end of a screw, p, passed vertically through the beam A, and provided with a lever, 1", at its upper extremity to adjust it, and a screw-plate, s, fixed to the under side of beam A.

ln operation the slide K rests on the ground, and is raised ordepressed by turning the lever 1' on the screw p, thus allowing the ditcher to cut a. greater or less depth, according' to VIn testimony that I claim the'foregoing as Y the character of the soil. my own I hereto vaffix myl signature in pres- Having described my invention, I claimence of two witnesses. The ditcher-beanl A provided With the slotted plate c, the cross-piece G, provided with JAMES WM' HUMPHREYS' bolts and nuts, and connecting with the Wings Witnesses: H by rods g, as shown, for the purposes set THEODORE'MUNGEN,

zforth; H. A. DANIELS. 

